August 2011 Notable Toys — General Games

This game helps children learn which materials are used to make products and what happens to them when we're done with them. Players can win the game by recycling as much as they can. Helps parents to talk to their children about the environment.

Kids and subtract the numbers on the dice to figure out how many spaces their "car" can go. For younger players, play fast and frantically.

In this princess-themed game, players must complete the secret tasks as they race around the 3-D castle in search of the jeweled tiara. This game teaches kids to use their logic-based puzzle solving skills.

In this game, players race around the island, filling their treasure chest with gold coins. Encourages number recognition, counting and first adding skills.

Players become healthy-eating champions as they compete to eat the most nutritious food. Parents and caregivers can playfully reinforce healthy habits, such as exercise and good food choices. Adding and subtracting the points earned or lost throughout the game also helps children with their math skills.

In this Bingo-like game with letters and words, kids practice and learn letters and words as they pick up nuts and race around the 3-D monkey tree. Challenging and easy cards are included, so that parents can match the game to their child's ability. The design of the 3-D-tree and the peanut cards keep children interested as they learn.

Children learn numbers up to three by matching the sleeping and the awake animals. The 3-D sheep counter adds a lot of fun to the game, and your child's counting skills will improve playing this game.
Awards: The TOY Award UK

Kids must discover the hidden fairies and wave the sparkly magic wand to win the game. This counting game helps children start to comprehend numbers and easy additions up to 10.

In this scavenger hunt, kids learn about colors, shapes, letters and numbers. Players can be as young as 4, but it's also great for older children.

Hickory Dickory Dock    Learn about time as your help your mouse climb to the top of the clock. Every time you know the time for an activity displayed on the cards, your mouse can move up. A quick game that'll re-enforce your child's time-telling abilities!

In Red Lorry, Yellow Lorry, players create traffic chaos as they race to match the vehicles and their colors. This is a game for young kids similar in concept to Domino or Quirkle.

Based on the popular comic book, The Walking Dead Board Game gives fans the opportunity to play Rick, Shane, Andrea, and other "The Walking Dead" characters as they deal with zombies, collect supplies and pick up the pieces of their lives. For 1-6 players. Launch date: Summer 2011.

The Baby Einstein Around the World Play Gym introduces baby to animals, sights and sounds from 5 different regions of the world. The large, 34" mat features crisp, real-life imagery and animals from Africa, Asia, Australia, South America and the Polar Regions to offer a whole world for baby to discover. The mat also has sewn-in loops for attaching extra toys. Additional toys baby can play with include a panda rattle toy, a soft parrot with crinkle, a large baby-safe mirror, a spinning globe rattle ball, animal discovery cards and an igloo-shaped teether.
— As of 05/18/2011 this product had 3.9 out of 5 stars from 59 customer reviews on Amazon.com. Pros: Great pictures on the mat; "wonderful songs;" the toys that hook on to the mat can be moved around; easy to store. Cons: One reviewer said their baby rolled the mat over itself like a taco; the fabric stuck to one child's mouth and nose while she was crying.

Dixit Odyssey lets even more players have fun than ever before. Anywhere from 3 to 12 players can participate in this storytelling game. One player is given a picture card, while the other players receive a hand of six pictures. The designated storyteller uses a word or phrase to strategically hint at his picture, and the other players each choose one of their cards that best fits the description. Everyone then bets on which picture belongs to the storyteller. Game play takes approximately 30 minutes. Launch date: July, 2011.
— As of 05/11/2011 a previous version of this product (Dixit) had 4.7 out of 5 stars on Amazon.com, based on 41 reviews. The product had only one rating below 4 stars. Pros: Creative; equally fun for adults and children. Cons: A reviewer who gave the game three stars said the scoring system was overly complicated and that the pictures on the cards are almost too elaborate.

The first of Mayfair’s expansions to Steam, this set offers three tracks in the same pack. One side has a map of the Mid-Atlantic United States. The other side has two maps: Belgium & Luxembourg and the Brussels Metro. These boards are sure to challenge Steams players with their region-specific rules and challenging topography. Details on the three maps included — Belgium & Luxembourg: An Expansion for 2 Players, Build an Importing Empire. Brussels Metro: An Expansion for 3 Players, Develop Intercity Transit. Mid-Atlantic US: An Expansion for 3-7 Players, Railroad Empires in the Civil War Era. Also Included: An Extra Steam Tile Sheet. NOTE: Requires ownership of MFG4551 Steam™ to play.

In this quick-draw classic, the sketches draw loads of laughs- but the guesses can be even more hilarious. Roll the six-sided challenge die for extra-silly scenarios; no two games will ever be alike. Play in teams, large or small. Game includes game board, one-minute timer, 4 pencil pawns, 4 pencils, 4 pads of paper, card box, card deck, standard die and challenge die, and instructions.
— As of 05/20/2011 this product had 4.2 out of 5 stars on Amazon.com from 9 reviews. Pros: Helps improve vocabulary; fun for the whole family. Cons: Some players didn't like the new updates to the game; One person said it was too hard.

It's the compact version of the classic naval combat game for plenty of fun on the run. Players keep track of hits and misses, and sink all of their enemy's ships to win the game. All of the pieces fit inside the case, making it easy to travel with.
— Mike DiAndrea, manager of Hardware Center Toys in Paoli, Pa., told TDmonthly in an April 2012 survey about travel toys that their best seller is Fun on the Run Battleship. They sold "18 this month," he said.